MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the recent attacks on medical aid workers in Pakistan

5.2.2013 - (2013/2537(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure

Marie-Christine Vergiat, Willy Meyer, Helmut Scholz, Sabine Lösing, Kartika Tamara Liotard on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0056/2013

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

B7‑0076/2013

European Parliament resolution on the recent attacks on medical aid workers in Pakistan

(2013/2537(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on human rights and democracy in Pakistan, in particular that of 20 January 2011 and those of 20 May 2010 and 12 July 2007, 25 October 2007, 15 November 2007, of 15 December 2011 and 24 December 2012,

– having regard to Rule 122 of its Rules of Procedure,

· Whereas in 2012 a rising number of targeted attacks against medical aid workers in both Pakistan and Afghanistan have taken place; whereas in December 2012 and January 2013 more than 11 health workers working on a polio vaccination campaign have been reported shot dead in several locations in Pakistan;

· Whereas the militant crusade against the polio drive began after the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011; whereas allegedly the U.S. government used a vaccination initiative to identifythe location of the al-Qaida leader; whereas since then, public health workers have faced mistrust from the local population and were targeted by militants; whereas Pakistani tribal regions are regularly the target of extrajudicial killings and attacks of US drones;Whhereas the Government of Pakistan and the affected provinces have temporarily suspended the vaccination campaign due to concerns over safety of health workers; whereas the World Health Organization and UNICEF scrapped a series of plans to vaccinate Pakistani children in 2012 because the Taliban banned these activities in their strongholds;

· Whereas currently polio remains endemic in only three countries: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan; whereas such attacks deprive Pakistan’s most vulnerable populations – especially children – of basic life-saving health interventions;

· Whereas decades of violence and the war in Afghanistan resulted in a destabilization of the whole region and in a preoccupying strengthening of extremist groups; whereas Pakistani Taleban and other armed groups killed civilians in targeted and indiscriminate attacks across the country for different reasons; whereas in particular girls and women are affected by the violence and discrimination;

· Whereas the political, social and human rights situation in Pakistan in general is a matter of deep preoccupation; whereas the international community, including the EU for many years closed the eyes vis-à-vis the developments in Pakistan; whereas this contributed to the current developments;

· Strongly condemns the killings and other acts of violence against health workers in Pakistan; express its deepest sympathy to the families of the victims;

· Calls on the government of Pakistan and the the leaders of the communities to do their utmost to protect aid workers and create a secure environment so that they can meet the needs of the population of Pakistan; welcomes the commitment expressed by WHO and other international organizations to continue supporting the Government of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan in their efforts to rid the country of polio and other diseases;

· Condemns the misuse of the vaccination campaign by the U.S. military; underlines that the recent attacks against medical aid workers in Afghanistan and Pakistan show clearly the importance of strict separation of humanitarian and development work from military structures;

· Condemns the violation of the territorial integrity of Pakistan by the U.S.; urgently calls for an immediate end of all drone attacks an d other forms of extrajudicial killings on the territory of Pakistan and Afghanistan; calls on all EU institution to raise this issue in their contacts with the U.S. partners;

· Reiterates its call on the European External Action Service to present a report on the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement and the democracy and human rights clause;

· Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the European External Action Service, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the European Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the Government and Parliament of Pakistan.